1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to a new and improved poultry hock retainer or truss for poultry or fowl and pertains, more specifically, to a truss for holding together the hocks of the small fowl during processing, transportation, storage and cooking.
2. Prior Art
Plastic retainers have been provided for retaining the hocks of turkey and other fowl during processing and shipping and for facilitating ease of inspection of the eviscerated fowl. Some of these retainers are secured inside the fowl by oppositely extending hooks which engage the kidney cavities in the fowl and have bridles or similar apparatus for retaining the hocks in the desired position. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,615,075, 4,653,146, 4,739,538 and 4,771,509 issued to Volk which each show a unitary beam member and bridle. Upstanding loops or tabs have been provided on the beam member for facilitating insertion of the retainer into the carcass, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,653,146, 4,739,538 and 4,771,509, and depending tabs have been provided as part of the bridle for securing it to the hocks, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,509. Although desirable in many respects, these retainers are not readily suitable for use on smaller poultry such as chicken, which are considerably less rigid than turkey carcasses, and are not easily packagable for shipping and storage.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved poultry hock truss which overcomes the disadvantages and limitations of the retainers currently provided.
Another object of the invention is to provide a poultry hock truss of the above character which is suitable for use with small poultry such as chicken.
Another object of the invention is to provide a poultry hock truss of the above character which can be easily nested along a runner.